Chassis for a miniature toy vehicle

ABSTRACT

A CHASSIS FOR A TOY VEHICLE INCLUDING A METAL SUPPORT PLATE AND A STRIP OF RESILIENT MATERIAL HAVING GENERALLY U-SHAPED LONGITUDINAL END PORTIONS. EMBEDDED WITHIN EACH LEG OF THE U-SHAPED END PORTIONS IS A SEPARATE SMALL DIAMETER WIRE AXLE WHICH IN TURN IS CONNECTED TO A WHEEL TO PROVIDE A FREELY ROTATABLE WHEEL SYSTEM SO AS TO MINIMIZE FRICTION UPON MOVING TO PROVIDE A FLEXIBLE SUSPENSION TO INSURE AGAINST BREAKAGE OF THE SMALL DIAMETER WIRE AXLES AND TO FURTHER REALISTICALLY SIMULATE AN INDEPENDENT FOUR WHEEL SUSPENSION FOUND IN FULL-SIZE VEHICLES.

Filed Feb. 5, 1971 March 13, 1973 ERSILIO .Li ,fl?

CHASSIS FOR A MINIATURE TOY VEHICLE 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 1973 L. ERSILlO 3,720,017

CHASSIS FOR A MINIATURE TOY VEHICLE Filed Feb. 5, 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent O 3,720,017 CHASSIS FOR A MINIATURE TOY VEHICLE Levati Ersilio, Vimercate, Italy, assignor to Mattel, S.p.A., Milan, Italy Filed Feb. 3, 1971, Ser. No. 112,196 Claims priority, application Italy, Feb. 3, 1970, 20,160/70, 20,719/70 Int. Cl. A63l1 17/26 U.S. Cl. 46-221 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A chassis for a toy vehicle including a metal support plate and a strip of resilient material having generally U-shaped longitudinal end portions. Embedded within each leg of the U-shaped end portions is a separate small diameter wire axle which in turn is connected to a wheel to provide a freely rotatable wheel system so as to mimmize friction upon moving to provide a flexible suspension to insure against breakage of the small diameter wire axles and to further realistically simulate an independent four wheel suspension found in full-size vehicles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The present invention relates to a chassis for a toy vehicle and, more particularly, to a chass1s for a miniature toy vehicle of the freely rotatable wheel type.

Description of the prior art Miniature toy vehicles have of late become exceedingly popular. Generally, these vehicles comprise a metal body in the form of an automobile mounted to a metal support plate and a set of Wheels uniquely mounted to relatively small diameter wire which in turn are connected to the support plate. This construction provides a veh1cle with freely rotatable wheels, that is, a vehicle which generates very little friction when moved. It has been determined that the smaller the diameter of the wire which acts as an axle the less friction generated during movement of the toy vehicle. Since most of these toy vehicles are moved by the force of gravity, any reduction in the friction generated upon movement substantially increases the velocity of the vehicle and distance the vehicle will travel. However, it is apparent that the smaller the diameter of the wire, the greater will be the likelihood of damage by excessive bending. Such damage Would reduce if not completely destroy the racing characteristics of the toy vehicle.

Any mechanism which is to be mass marketed, such as miniature toy vehicles, must not only perform the desired function well but must also be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, assemble and package so as to be available at a reasonable price.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention obviates the problem stated above by providing a chassis for a miniature toy vehicle comprising a support plate; a strip of resilient material having two end portions and being connected to the support plate so as to allow the end portions to be movable; and a set of wheels mounted to axles which are in turn connected to the end portions of the resilient strip.

It is a general aim of the present invention to provide a chassis for a toy vehicle for relieving the stress which may be applied to small diameter wire axles.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide axles for a toy vehicle having a small diameter for reducing the friction generated upon movement of the vehicle and for reducing production expense.

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Still another advantage is the realistic simulation of a four wheel independent suspension found on full-size automotive vehicles.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a chassis for a miniature toy vehicle.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the chassis and illustrates in dotted line a toy vehicle body mounted to the chassis.

FIG. 3 is a sectional side elevational view of the chassis.

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the chassis.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged exploded view of a wheel and axle assembly.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged partially sectional plan view of the wheel assembly of the chassis.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED While the present invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, illustrative embodiments are shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that it is not the intention to limit the invention to particular forms disclosed; but, on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is illustrated the chassis 10 or bottom portion of a miniature toy vehicle. The chassis includes a support plate 12 which is relatively rigid and preferably made of metal to which is attached an elongated strip 14 of resilient material, such as a suitable synthetic resin. The elongated strip 14 includes a front end portion 16 which is divided into two parts by having a generally U-shape with one part or leg designated 18 and the other part or leg designated 20. In a like manner, a rear end portion 22 of the elongated strip 14 includes legs 24 and 26. Attached to each of the legs 18, 20, 24 and 26 are small diameter wire axles 30, 32, 34 and 36, respectively. Mounted to each of the axles are wheel assemblies 38, 40, 42 and 44, respectively. As shown in FIG. 2, a toy vehicle body 48 may be mounted to the chassis in any suitable fashion.

In accordance with a major aspect of the present invention, the elongated resilient strip 14 is mounted so that its end portions are free to move in response to forces applied to the wheels. Thus, the resilient strip acts to relieve the stress placed upon the small diameter wire axles by having at least some of the stress induced in the resilient strip. Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the elongated resilient strip 14 is attached to the support plate 12 by providing the support plate with two projections 50 and 52 which are received within openings 54 and 56, respectively, and are then swaged or expanded so as to lock the resilient strip in place.

It is noted that the attachment is made along a central portion of the resilient strip so that the end portions 16 and 22 are free to flex from a position which is horizontal or parallel to the support plate as shown in solid line, FIG. 3, to a position shown in dotted line in FIG. 3. That is, the end portion may be curved away from the support plate. The resilient strip is, of course, more flexible than the wire axle so that a force applied to the wheels will move the resilient strip before deflecting the axle. Thus, the wheels exhibit a great deal of springiness without overburdening the small diameter axles since the force which may be applied to a wheel is transmitted to the resilient strip 14. As shown in FIG. 4, the wheels are mov- 3 able upwardly in an are so that maximum flexibility is achieved.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, the connection between the wheel assembly and the axle will be explained in more detail. A wheel asembly 59, identical to the wheel 44, is comprised of an outer rim 60 having a running surface 62, a bearing hub 64 which is received by the rim 60 and bonded thereto, and a bushing 66 which is received within an opening 68 in the bearing hub. The bushing, in turn, includes a central opening 70 which receives a very small diameter wire 72 serving as an axle. The wire 72 has a head portion 74 which has been expanded and serves to retain the bushing and thereby the remainder of the wheel structure. The wire 72 also has a curved portion 76. It is contemplated that the axle 72 will be embedded within the elongated strip 14 when the elongated strip is formed such as by a molding process. The purpose of the curved portion 76 is to assure a solid anchoring of the axle in the elongated strip and serves to prevent the wire from rotating relative the strip.

It is readily apparent that should a force be applied to the rim 60, it would be transmitted through the small diameter wire axle 72. If the wire were attached to a rigid support, it would be necessary that the wire be of a sufficient thickness to deflect within a predetermined range in resistance to the force applied without breaking and additionally have the ability to return to its orignial position. However, by embedding the axle in the elongated strip which has an end portion 16a capable of movement, the force which is applied to the wheel is transmitted through the axle to the resilient strip which then initially moves in response. Only after the strip has reached its maximum allowable deflection will the wire axle be exposed to a bending load. If the body dimensions are made such that the wheel upon which the force is acting abuts the body upon movement of the resilient strip, a built-in safety factor is created to prevent excessive deflection of the wire axle.

Not only is the springiness of the wheels increased by the present invention, but a smaller diameter wire may be used as the axle allowing two major advantages: first, there is a reduction in material cost so that the final product may be made more cheaply for mass marketing; and second, the smaller the diameter of the wire, the less friction is generated upon rotation of the wheel about the wire.

Referring to FIG. 6, the end portion 16a is divided into legs 18a and 20a which are independently movable, thereby adding to the flexibility of the resilient strip in response to a force placed upon the wheel assembly 59'. However, the end portion 160: could be a continuation of a constant width strip, and the axle 72 may extend across the entire strip and have another wheel assembly, such as the wheel assembly 80, connected opposite the wheel assembly 59, thus providing a simulated independent front suspension and non-independent rear suspension.

What is claimed is:

1. A chassis for a miniature toy vehicle comprising:

a support plate;

an elongated resilient strip connected to the support plate, said strip having generally U-shaped end portions;

four small diameter wire axles, each wire axle embedded in a leg of a U-shaped end portion, and each wire axle having a curved portion and an expanded head portion; and

four wheels, each mounted to one of said wire axles between said expanded head portion and said curved portion, each wheel having a rim portion, a bearing hub portion, and a bushing.

2. A chassis for a miniature toy vehicle comprising:

a support plate;

a strip of resilient material having two end portions and being connected to the support plate so as to allow said end portions to be movable; and

a set of wheels mounted to axles which are in turn embedded in said end portions of said strip, each axle having a curved portion embedded in said strip, whereby to prevent loosening of the axle.

3. A chassis for a miniature toy vehicle comprising:

a support plate;

a strip of resilient material having two end portions and being connected to the support plate so as to allow said end portions to be movable;

a set of wheels mounted to axles which are in turn embedded in said end portions of said strip; and

said strip having a generally U-shaped end portion, each leg of the U receiving a diflerent axle, and the strip forming a slot between the legs of the U so that the legs are spaced from each other at the locations where the axles are held thereon.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,821,808 2/1958 Rosato 46221 X FOREIGN PATENTS 26,861 30/1954 Finland 46-201 965,558 6/1957 Germany 46201 LOUIS G. MANCENE, 'Primary Examiner R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner 

